Composition tile



Feb. 15, 1938. w s JOHNSTON 2,108,226

COMPOSITION TILE Filed Jan. 6, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 `.l5 I l 12 714:15.17 J5 f7 2/ f8 f4 Patented el.v 15,

COMPOSITION TILE wenn s. Johnston, chicago Heights, In., as-

signor to The Tile-Tex Company, Chicago Heights, Ill., a. corporation ofIllinois applicati@ January '6,- isae, serial No. y57,773

, 4 Claims.

This isa continuation in part of my copending application for UnitedStates Letters Patent, Serial No. 647,755, iiled'December 17, 1932.

This invention relates to improvements in sur- Y 5 faces constructed ofmoulded Acomposition tile and the composition tile forconstructing suchsurfaces, and refers specifically to a composition tile surfacecomprising composition tile of desired shape encompmsed by a border ora. border and l back of similar composition of a contrasting colorwhereby said border, when the surface is laid,I

simulates a mortar joint 4between adjacent tile or blocks.

, Heretofore, composition tile `floors and walls l5 have suiered'inappearance in comparison with the usual ceramic tile constructions, dueto the' fact that incident to layingrceramic tile a mortar joint, ofnecessity, is provided between adjacent tile which materiallycontributes to the appear- 20 ance of the finished surface. Compositiontile laid in the usual manner, of course, requires nov joints of thisnature and the monotony of appear ance of the surface could only bebroken and a contrast obtained by the variations .of color of g5adjacent tile.

Y It has heretofore been proposed to provide rela-v tively narrow stripsof composition tile which are laid between adjacent tile and of acontrasting color to that of said tile to simulate the mortar 30 jointsof ceramic tile. However, the laying cfa `iioor or other surface in thismanner requires skillful labor and is a tedious, expenslve'task,particularly in View of the fact that relatively long and narrow stripsof composition tile, for instance,l

35 an Aasphalt asbestos composition, tend to curl up at the ends and arerelatively frangible. l

As a. feature of my invention, a floor or otherl above, but which may bemanufactured and la'id .for a fraction of the cost.

One of the important features of my invention resides in a surfaceconstructed of composition 45 tile some of which are of compositeconstruction and are provided with separate mortar-simulating jointsunited thereto, said composite tile being so laid with respect to plainor unbordered tile as to provide a mortar-simulating joint between 50desired individual tile.

Briefly. described, my invention comprises a, composition tile blockwhich includes a plurality of contrastingly colored portions so mouldedand united as to present a block or tile unit embraced 55 by amortar-simulating joint or border. In con structing my improved tilesurface, composite tile, that is tile embeddedirn and/or being embracedon all sides by mortar-simulatingv borders, is so laid with respect toplain or unbordered tile as toprovide joints or. borders between desiredad- 5 jacent' tile. In this manner, a. surface presenting the appearanceof ceramic tile with mortar joints is simulated, the surface, by virtueof the relative positioning of the bordered tile with respect to theunbordered tile, being constructed only of a portion of bordered tileand a portion of the less expensive unbordered tile. y

Other objects and advantages of my invention` will be apparent from'thel accompanying drawings and following detail description.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a topplan view of a portion of a tile coveredsurfaceillustrating the simulatedmortar joint. y I Fig, la is a similarview illustrating a, larger section of the composition tile floorcomprising my invention.

' Fig. 2 is aperspective view of a tile unit having a mortar simulatingborder and diagonally cut corners. n y Fig. 3v is a sectional view tav'en on line 3-6 25 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 1embodying a modied form of tile.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a .tile unit em bodied in the surfaceshown in Fig, 4. A Y

Fig. 6 isa sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1 showing a surface covered with another modified formof tile.

Fig. 10 is a diagonal sectional view of a die for 40 cutting thevcomposite tile.

Referring in detail to the drawings, I indicates a composition tilesurface constructed of composite units 2 and the usual or plain units 3disposed in edge abutting relationship. Each composite unit 2 maycomprise a'block 4 embraced by back 5 and encompassed on all sides by a.continuous mortar joint' simulatingborder 6. 'Ihe units 2 and 3 may bestaggered or checkered with respect to each other when laid to formsurface l, the arrangement being such that a unit I is positionedadjacent each edge of a composite unit 2, eachblock 4 being spaced fromthe four adjacent units 3 by a mortar `joint simulating portion 6. Inthis manner one half ;of the units comprising the surface will becomposite units and the other half plain units.

In disposing the units 2 and 3 in staggered or checkered relationship,the corners of a composite unit or block 2 in one tier will abut thecorners of the composite units or blocks in the next adjacent tier. Inorder to impart an appearance of regularity to the surface I and to makethe mortar joint simulating border 6 continuous, the oorners may beformed at an angle of` 45 to the edges 1 of the border 6 as shown bestat 1 in Figs. 1 and 2. It can readily be seen that the surfaces formedby so cutting the corners of a composite unit or block in one tier willabut similar corner surfaces of the block diagonally opposite in thenext adjacent tier. The surface dimensions of the units 3 and the inlaidtile^4 may be equal so thatlthe edges of said units and blocks may bedisposed in alignment. The thickness of. each unit 3 may be equal to thesum of the thicknesses'. of each back 5 plus the thickness of an inlaidtile 4 so that the surfaces of the blocks 2 and units 3 may be disposedin a substantially common plane. A

If desired the face of units 3 and blocks 2 may be positioned above thesurface of the mortar joint simulating border 6 or said faces may bedepressed below r ush with the surface of the joint. Further, ifdesired, the surface of the units 3 and blocks 2 may be irregular orslightly undulating to simulate pitted stone, stratification marks orrough hewn stone and the surface of the joints may also be irregular tosimulate roughly troweled mortar.

Referringparticularly to Fig. la, a surface I is illustrated comprisingcomposite blocks 2a similar to blocks 2 with border 6 and back 5 andtile units 3a similar to tile 3. For purposes of illustration theinserted tile in the blocks 2a is colored red, whereas the plain orunbordered tile 3a is indicated as blue.

of bordered blocks, only half of the surface comprises bordered blocks,the complementary pieces being plain tile 3a. This appearance is broughtabout by the novel juxtapositioning of the bordered blocks with respectto the plain tile wherein the border of one composite block serves asthe borderfor one side of four plain pieces. In this manner'apredetermined surface area may be attractively covered by compositiontile substantially one-half of the surface being made up of thelessexpensive plain tile.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4, 5, and 6, a slight modication of myinvention is shown wherein 8 indicates a tile surface constructed ofcomposite units or blocks 9 and the usual plain units 3. The blocks 9may be substantially sim- 'ilar to the blocks 2 and may comprise a tile4 embraced by a back and encompassed by a mortar joint simulating borderI0. 'Ihe blocks 9 and tile 3 when laid to form surface 8 may be disposedwith respect to each other in a manner similar to the disposition of theblocks 2 and tile 3 comprising the surface I. That is, the comjpositeblocks 9 may be staggered 'or checkered with respect to each other, theusual plain units 3 being interpositioned between the staggered blocks9.

In order to form continuous mortar simulating joints I0 throughout theentire surface 8, diagonally opposite corners II of each of thecomposite blocks 9 may be recessed to a depth equal to the width of thejoint IIJ. It can readily be seen that when said blocks and tile unitsare laid.,A the corners of each of the composite It will be observedthat although L the surface area appears to be made up totally may'beadded to produce the desired color.

blocks 3 in one tier will register with and be positioned within therecesses II provided in the corners of composite blocks 9 in bothadjoining tiers. In this manner the joints I0 may be continuousthroughout the entire surface 8 and the edges of the tile inserts 4 andunits 3 will be disposed in alignment.

In this modification, inserts 4 are shown as being flush with thesurfaces of units 3 and joints I0. It is to be understood, of course,that said inserts may extend above the surface of joints ID in whichcase the surfaces of units 3 will also extend above the surface of saidjoints, thereby imparting to units 3 and inserts 4 an appearance ofuniformity and symmetry.

Referring particularly to Figs. 7, 8, and 9, a slightly modied form ofmy invention is shown wherein I2 indicates a composition tile surfaceconstructed of composite blocks I3 and units I4. Each of the blocks I3may comprise one or more inserts I5 which may be embraced by back I6 andencompassed by mortar simulating joints I'l which, conforming to theirregular contour of the inserts I5 are irregular in shape. Each of theblocks I3, if desired, may be provided with a regular defining border orjoint portion I8 and each joint portion of each of the composite blocksmay be similar.- The units I4 may comprise tile 3 identical inconstruction with those described in conjunction with the forms of myinvention shown in Figs. 1 and 1a.

The surface I2 may be made up throughout a portion of its area ofcomposite blocks I3', interspersed with tile 3, the composite blocks I3being disposed in corner abutting relationship and the tile 3 being inedge abutting relationship with respect to the borders of the compositeblocks.

If desired, the edges of the blocks I3 may be ,depressed as shown bestat 2I in Fig. 8, and the width of said depressed portion may besubstantially equal in width to the mortar joint simulating portions 6and Ill shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so that when the blocks I3 arepositioned in edge abutting relationship with the units 3, the distancebetween adjacent upraised portions 3 and 22 will be substantially equalto the distance between a tile 4 and a unit 3 in the form shown in Figs.1 and 4.

By the word composition as used in the specification, and claims, ismeant a mixture comprising a binder, filler and pigment. The binder,although preferably of an asphaltic nature, may be any animal orvegetable pitch or natural or synthetic resin such as rosin,paracoumarone, phenolic, glyptol resins, and the like.

AIt is to be understood, of course, that these binders may be usedseparately or, if desired, suitable mixtures or combinations thereof maybe used. The ller may comprise asbestos, saw dust or the like and, ofcourse, suitable pigment In general, the composition may be such thatthe finished tile will not soften when exposed to room or atmospherictemperatures, nor will it crack or crumble when subjected to ordinaryroom tramo, yet the binder must be such that it can be rendered pliableor doughlike when subjected to temperatures above atmospheric or roomtemperatures and can be molded or pressed in a mold or' die when in saidpliable state.

The binder and filler utilized is normally very inexpensive and in somecases the pigment rep# resents the major portion of the cost of thecomposition. This is particularly true where light colored tiles areused inasmuch as a relatively ystitute the minor4 portion thereof.

` Y v message 'large proportion of pigment .is necessary tol change thenormally dark binder-'4111erv mixture to a lighter shade. Especially isthis so when asphalt isused as a binder since the same isv normally-very dark in color land is: very inexpensive in itself. Obviously,darker 'colored tile requires a relatively small amount of pigment sincethe V.pigment is supplemented by the usual dark natural color of thebinder.

'Ihis inherent characteristic of the material comprising the tile can beutilized to advantage by my invention. For instance, if the major por.

ted that the relatively dark material interspersed by rela-- tive lightcolored material, blocks 4, 9 or I6, bel ing of relatively-inexpensivematerial; may constitute the major portion ofthe bulk or volume of theunitswhereas 'backs 5, or I6 may con- In other words,.in thislatterinstanceunits 4, 3 or I6 maybe relatively thick whereas therespective` backs may becomparatively thin.

As a matter of taste or` preference, lighter colored surfaces seem to bepredominantly more popular. l This condition seems to obtain for alltype `wall or oor surfaces whether of ceramic vtilelinoleum orcomposition tile. In the case of ceramic tile, the appearance 'or thetile is enhanced by'interspersing the unit tile with rel'- atively darkcolored mortar joints. In my invention, byconstructing the tile in themanner lhereinbefore described, itA has been found under some conditionssubstantially asf economical to construct afsurface having theinterspersed mortar simulating j oints as to construct the same surfacearea of plain light colored tilg. In the former case a relatively largerproportion of the bulk of the compositiorbcomprlsing the surface may berelatively inexpensive `dark colored'composition whereas, in the lattercase, the entire volume or bulk of the tile must, of necessity, beconstructed of .relatively expensive light coloredmaterial. In otherWords, the dilerence in material costlin one case substantially balancesthe cost of handling in theA other. In all cases the cost of a tilesurface constructed from tile comprising 'myinvention compares favorablywith the cost of plain, unbordered cornposition tile and, is 'extremelymore economical than a composition tilelsurfacepresenting the desirableappearance herei-nbefore described but made in any `other manner. -Inaddition, by laying the composite blocks and unbordered tile in themanner taught by my invention a surface of predetermined area may belaid wherein only a portion of the pieces comprise the composite blocks.Yet the relative arrangement. of` thel blocksV to the tile is such thateach tile unit to appearances is encompassed by a border.

In constructing composition tile, utilizing 4a binder of asphalt, forexample, asphalt of desired characteristics as to melting point andhardness may befmixed with suitable proportions of asbestos or lotherlike filler. The mixture may be heated and milled orv kneaded, to-

units 2, 9, I3,

oi the units getherwwith a suitable pigment. to a dough-like consistencyand the resultant material may subsequently be' rolled into slabs,cooled and out to desired. form. The slabs when cut are maintained inarelatively warm condition Iso that cracking or chipping will not takeplacev during the cutting operation.

-All forms of my invention may be manufacturedin substantially the samemanner, but for thev sake of clarity inY description and in the.'drawings, the manufacture of the form shown in' Figs. l, 2, and 3 willbe particularly described.

' In manufacturing composite blocks 2 and units .3V comprising surfaceI, units 3 may be formed in the manner herelnbefore described. Similarlyunits 4 maybe formed, units 4vbeing relatively thinner than units 3.'I'he thickness o! units' 4,

of course, may be governed by the relative cost of the pigment. used forsaid units and the cost v.of pigment used for backs 5 and joints 6.

Slabs of material maybe prepared, as here- ,inbefore described, thecolor thereof being that desired to contrast with units 3 and tile 4.Re-

ferring particularly to Fig. -10, a unit tile 4 may be positioned withindepressed portion 34 of the lower die or mold 35., The unit 4 when sopositioned may be cold or may be slightly 'warm to` prevent possiblecracking or rolling of the edges when pressure is applied. 'I'he slabprepared to serve as the back and joints of the tile may at lower-.dieor mold 35 and'upper mold 36 and the molds may be brought together underpressure. In this manner back 5 and joints t may be formed, the lattercomprisingan integral portion of the former. A asmuch as the unit i andback 5 are united under 'pressurefunit ft being encompassed. by joints6, a unitary composite block will be formed.

The bonding action which takes place between the tile El and back andjoints t may be attributable to the fact that both elements are broughttogether under pressure taken in conjunction with the fact that the backand joints being relatively hot, tend to heat the inlaidV tile t therebycausing a bond which approaches cohe sion'in character. In addition, ashereinbeiore described, the slab from which back t and joints thisperiodbe warm enough to permit deforma- It can readily be seen that int are-formed, is at arelatively higher tempera ture than unit i even thoughsome ofthe heat from the former may` be'conducted to the latter.

Consequently, upon cooling, back 5 and joints' in vthe other modicationsof my invention, may

be Aof ,a material entirely diiierent in character from the .compositioncomprising the back and joints. For instance, said units may beconstructed'of metal or other relatively rigid material.

.Corners 'l and recesses II may be formed bythe upper mold 36. In thecase of units I5, shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, said units maybe appro-Apriately spaced in recess '34 of the lower mold 35 prior to the moldingoi the back I6 thereon. If desired, all of the composite blockscomprising the various forms of my invention may inlaid tile will besubstantially the depth of the mold and the borders or mortar simulatingjoints will be molded around the tile. Further, in the modificationshown in Fig. 8, the inlaid tile may;

backing and border constructed of a diierent composition, and theremaining tile pieces comprising unbordered, unbacked tile blocksconstructed of a material similar to said first-mentioned tile blocks,the rst-mentioned tile blocks A being of a lesser thickness than theunbo-rdered, unbacked tile blocks, said first-mentioned tile piecesbeing in checkered relationship with respect to unbordered, unbackedtile blocks and being in corner abutting relationship with re- .spect toeach other.-

2. A composition surface comprising tile blocks of predeterminedcomposition imbedded in cup- I shaped members of a di'erent compositionwhich form a border and backing for said tile blocks, and unbordered,unbacked tile blocks, said imbedded `tile blocks being of a lesserthickness than said unbordered, unbacked tile blocks,

be constructed without a back. In this case the' said bordered andbacked tile blocks being disposed in checkered relationship with respectto the unbordered, unbacked tile blocks, and being in corner abuttingrelationship with respect to each other.

3. A composition surface comprising tile blocks of predeterminedcomposition imbedded in cupshaped members of a different compositionwhich form a border and backing for said tile blocks, and unbordered,unbacked tile blocks, said imbedded tile blocks being of a lesserthickness than said unbordered, unbacked tile blocks, said bordered andbacked tile blocks being disposed in checkered relationship with respectto the unbordered, unbacked tile blocks, and being in corner abuttingrelationship with respect to each other, the corners of the bordersformed by said cup-shaped members being truncated to abut the truncatedcorners of diagonally adjacent cupshaped members.

4. A surface comprising composition tile pieces, some of which includecomposition tile blocks embraced by cup-shaped backings and borders ofcomposition material and of contrasting color with respect to saidblocks, and the remaining tile pieces comprising unbordered, unbackedcomposition tile blocks,r the rst-mentioned tile blocks being of, alesser thickness than the unbordered, unbacked tile blocks, saidfirst-mentioned tile pieces being in checkered relationship with respectto unbordered, unbacked tile blocks and being in corner abuttingrelationship with respect to each other whereby the surface constructedof such tile pieces comprises approximately 50% unbordered, unbackedtile blocks.

AWALTER. S. JOHNSTON.

